Mission Statement

The WELS Chaplain Certificate Program (CCP) exists to help WELS chaplains meet requirements to gain access to and carry out gospel ministry at healthcare facilities, correctional institutions, military installations, public safety agencies, etc.

The CCP also exists to help certified WELS chaplains receive ongoing education and training so that they can enhance their skill sets and learn new insights for sharing the love of Christ with others.

Continuing Education Requirements

The continuing education program for maintenance of certification publicly establishes the chaplain’s commitment to maintain and enhance his/her professional skills on a continuing basis.

Continuing Education Objectives

  • Provide opportunities to maintain and enhance the professional knowledge, pastoral competency, and performance of chaplains.
  • Prompt chaplains to identify personal and professional needs, and receive support and counsel from peers.
  • Promote the development of resources and networks for the ongoing personal and professional learning and growth experiences of chaplains.

Continuing Education Requirements

To maintain certification, WELS chaplains are required to accumulate a minimum of 75 clock hours of continuing education (CE) in three years through participation in a broad range of educational experiences that relate to professional chaplaincy. It is strongly suggested that a CE plan include spiritual growth topics from within our own WELS circles as well as practical topics that relate to a person’s specific field of chaplaincy.

A three-credit online course from MLC is equivalent to 75 hours. Hours can be accumulated in other ways, such as seminars, webinars, research, etc. For more information on what may qualify for CE hours, see below. If you are still unsure whether a course/seminar/conference qualifies, email chaplaincert@wels.net.

Guidelines for Continuing Education Hours

Three areas of educational experience count toward the 75 CE hours (one CE hour equals 60 minutes) required every three years: education, teaching/presentation, and service. CE should be relevant to one’s field of chaplaincy.

1. Education

CE hours can be acquired through:

  • Workshops, symposiums, seminars, and webinars directly related to chaplaincy and/or to the specific field in which a chaplain works (i.e., military, police, fire, hospital, geriatrics, corrections). Appropriate documentation of CE credits is required.
  • Academic courses related to chaplaincy that lead to a certificate or advanced degree.
  • Independent study may be arranged through Martin Luther College or through the continuing education subcommittee of the CCP committee. A member of the committee may be used as the instructor/adviser of the independent study.

CE hours cannot be acquired through: 

  • Attending or participating in events or courses unrelated to chaplaincy.
  • Attending circuit meetings, conference meetings, and district conventions/conferences which have more to do with keeping one’s ecclesiastical endorsement in good standing.

2. Teaching/Presentation

CE hours can be acquired through:

  • Time spent researching a chaplaincy topic, writing or compiling the presentation, and presenting the topic for circuit/conference/district, for the CCP committee, or for a similar audience. The hours applied toward CE must be documented and a copy of the final paper or presentation must be supplied.
  • Time spent preparing to teach a chaplaincy course, as well as the time needed to update the course for subsequent classes.
  • Time spent writing an article on a chaplaincy topic for Forward in Christ or Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly.

CE hours cannot be acquired through:  

  • Time spent in routine chaplain duties
  • Time spent in publishing tasks, such as formatting a presentation or making copies.

3. Service

  • CE hours for service an include up to ten hours per year for CCP committee members for attendance at CCP committee meetings and service to the committee.

Renewal of Certification

Certification is valid for three years from December 31 of the year in which it was granted. It must be renewed every three years. (Example: A chaplain who was certified in June 2022 would need to renew by December 31, 2025, then every three years thereafter.)

The committee secretary will email all chaplains several times a year to encourage them to be accumulating CE hours and to remind them of their certification expiration date. Each reminder will include a renewal form with instructions on how to submit:

  • Verification of 75 CE hours, which must be earned within the chaplain’s current three-year renewal cycle
  • A $75.00 renewal fee to cover administrative expenses

Chaplains whose certifications expire will receive a grace period to submit CE hours, provided they intend to renew their certification. Delinquencies will be addressed on a case-by-case basis.